Kansas Medicare Supplement Plans: Compare & Find the Right Coverage

Medicare supplement plans, also known as Medigap policies, are insurance policies available to anyone covered by Medicare to supplement Medicare Part A and Part B. In Kansas, there are 11 plans available, two of them new plans that have recently been added as of June 2010.

Plans A and B

• Plan A offers basic benefits to consumers in Kansas. These include: Part A co-insurance beyond what Medicare covers, the cost of 365 extra days of in-patient hospital care, the first three pints of blood each year, the 20 percent co-insurance under Part B and hospice coverage. With Plan B, the Part A deductible for in-patient hospital care is covered in addition to basic benefits.

Plans C and D

• If you purchase Plan C in Kansas, you will get basic benefits plus skilled nursing co-insurance, payment of Part A and Part B deductibles, and coverage for foreign travel emergencies. Plan D coverage is the same as that of Plan C but excludes the Part B deductible coverage.

Plans F and G

• Plan F is the most comprehensive plan offered in Kansas, providing all of the supplemental benefits. These include: skilled nursing co-insurance, Part A and Part B deductibles, Part B excess (the amount doctors can charge beyond what Medicare pays) and foreign travel emergency coverage. There is also a high deductible version of Plan F available. Plan G provides the same coverage as Plan F, with the exception of covering the Part B deductible.

Plans K and L

• Plans K and L are what is known as "high deductible" plans that offer lower premiums in exchange for patients sharing the cost of some of the benefits. Plan K covers 50 percent and Plan L 75 percent of basic benefits, as well as skilled nursing co-insurance and the Part A deductible. Both plans have an out-of-pocket limit, meaning you will not have to pay beyond a certain fixed dollar limit.

Plans M and N

• Both Plan M and Plan N are new to Kansas consumers as of June 2010. They both have some cost sharing elements although none that is as substantial as those in Plans K and L. Plan M covers basic benefits, skilled nursing co-insurance, foreign travel emergencies and 50 percent of the Part A deductible. With Plan N, you have a $20 co-pay for office visits and up to a $50 co-pay for emergency room visits. Skilled nursing co-insurance, the Part A deductible and foreign travel emergencies are all fully covered.